The Cost of Energy

Energy use carries a hefty price tag—and not just in dollars. The cost to our environment and to our national security is steep. What factors should we consider as we make decisions about energy options for the future?

Average global temperatures will likely rise at least another 2°F, and possibly more than 11°F, over the next 100 years.

Our understanding of climate change and how it has varied over time is advancing rapidly as scientists acquire more and more data and employ new instruments and methods for their analysis. Get an overview of what we know now.

We are using fossil fuels many times faster than they are formed, a situation that cannot continue indefinitely.

The total contribution of renewable sources to our energy supply is projected to remain small unless we take aggressive steps toward accelerating their development. What are the consequences of continuing to depend on fossil fuels for our energy?